Employment Allowance (EA) Support 

The Employment Allowance (EA) was introduced in 2014 to support employers and encourage employment. It works by allowing eligible businesses to reduce their employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) liability. For more information on eligibility and how to claim please see https://www.gov.uk/claim-employment-allowance

Employment Allowance is being increased to protect businesses by providing relief of up to £10,500 per annum on their employer Class 1 NICs liabilities from 6 April 2025. Early Years and Childcare Providers are entitled to claim the Employment Allowance if they are private businesses or charities, and it is expected the vast majority will be eligible to do so. 

Download the guidance to childcare providers on the relief available and eligibility rules.  

Team Around Setting (TAS) 

The Early Years, Childcare & Business Development Service (EYCBDS) provides a core offer of support to Ofsted registered settings with concerns that have been identified by Ofsted, Enforcement notice, LADO & LA MAGEYs.

A TAS Meeting is organised by TAS Lead to address the areas of actions or concerns. Settings are advised to read the TAS Process guidance for more information.  The Focus Improvement Plan (FIP) to be completed as part of the TAS process can be downloaded below.

Download guidance documents below:

• TAS process guidance
• TAS Focus Improvement Plan (FIP)

Feedback from the TAS process

‘We're thrilled with our recent Ofsted report and incredibly proud of our team's hard work. Also, a big thank you for all of your support and helping us shape us into thriving and nurturing environment today. Your guidance, advice, and assistance has helped us throughout our journey on achieving that Good rating’.

Childcare Provider -from Requires Improvement (RI) to Good

‘Thank you for supporting the team through the journey from our RI inspection outcome as it was not what we had hoped for and expected. Your professionalism and experience provided my team and I the support we needed and the encouragement the team needed to continue, implement the necessary changes at a time when confidence and team moral was low. I firmly believe the TAS process has helped us to achieve our desired outcome at the earliest possible time.’ 

Childcare Provider -from Requires Improvement (RI) to Good

‘A very big 'thank you' for all the support given to us by your team. It is highly appreciated’.

Childcare Provider 

Multi Agency Early Years (MAGEY) group

The MAGEY group has been set up to provide support and review processes to ensure Ofsted registered provisions in Waltham Forest are of a high quality, inclusive and safe and prepare children for their next stage in learning or school.

Policies and Procedures

Policies and procedures help and guide all staff working in an Early Years & Childcare setting. They ensure and endorse the well-being of all families, children, staff, volunteers and everyone who is connected to the setting. When policies and procedures are well thought out and, most importantly, implemented they provide common understanding and agreement on how things should be done at the setting.

Waltham Forest Early Years & Childcare team have developed a  range of policy and procedure prompt documents  to support in delivering high quality childcare.

Marketing

Ofsted registered childcare providers can promote their provision to parents/carers through the childcare directory on the Early Years Provider Portal. 

Sign in to advertise your childcare business.

Childcare Expansion in Schools

All early years and childcare provision should be viewed as a business. Achieving and delivering a consistent high quality of childcare in the long term is impossible without sound business planning and management. The guidance is for maintained schools and academies considering lowering their age range to admit nursery children or establishing early years provision. It also includes information on where to find relevant statutory requirements, the processes you will need to follow, and funding available for childcare expansion

Maintained Schools and Academies

1. Early Years & Childcare Expansion guidance for schools
2. Statutory Consultation on lowering nursery age template
3. Do you need to register your childcare provision with Ofsted

Childcare Expansion Grant (for Early Years, Childcare and Wraparound Providers)

In the Spring Budget of March 2023, the government announced a series of childcare expansion reforms designed to support eligible working families to access childcare and all parents/carers of primary school-aged children to access term time childcare in their local area from 8am-6pm. The DfE have released funding to support these reforms.

This application and guidance is for early years, childcare and wraparound providers to be able to access the childcare expansion grant.

1. Childcare Expansion Capital Grant Guidance and Application
2. Guidance on Obtaining quotation for capital works
3. Revenue Resources Grant Guidance and Application

School-Based Nursery Capital Grant (Phase 3)

The School-Based Nursery (SBN) Capital Grant for 2027 to 2030 is available for eligible state-funded primary-phase schools and maintained nursery schools to apply for capital funding to create or expand a school-based nursery in state-funded primary-phase schools, maintained nursery schools and on Best Start Family Hub sites.

This is the third phase of the school-based nurseries programme. It builds on the foundations of phase 1 (SBN Capital Grant 2024 to 2025) and phase 2 (SBN Capital Grant 2025 to 2026) and aims to help more families access early years provision, including those in disadvantaged areas. Phase 3 invites local authorities to develop multi-year funding proposals to deliver new and extended school-based nurseries between 2027 and 2030.  

Schools that were successful in phase 1 or phase 2 of the programme and received SBN capital grant funding are eligible for phase 3. In such cases, local authorities will only propose projects that add new places beyond what was delivered in earlier phases and that represent good value for money. Special Schools, Alternative Provision (AP) and Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) are not eligible for phase 3. For the purposes of this grant, SBNs can operate as: 

• nursery classes embedded in a primary school
• expansions to nursery classes on the site of current maintained nursery schools
• nursery units led by governors or academy trusts
• childminders and private, voluntary, and independent (PVI) nurseries contracted to deliver nursery provision on a school site, or operating on a school's behalf
• nursery classes embedded on a BSFH site. This can include both existing BSFHs or those in the process of being set-up. It can also include those co-located on a school site as well as those not on a school site. BSFH nurseries could be delivered by the local authority, but also by other delivery partners such as a PVI or childminder/s. See further guidance on what constitutes a BSFH. To note, all BSFHs interested in the SBN capital grant should have strong links to local schools.

To be eligible, your project must meet all criteria outlined in the guidance.

For more information on how to apply, please read the guidance available at School-based Nursery Capital Grant 2027 to 2030 - GOV.UK which provides more details about the grant including the terms and conditions, eligibility requirements and recommendations for expanding or opening new school-based nursery provision.

In order to apply for SBN Phase 3, submit your expression of interest by completing the application form from section 4: template funding proposal form (MS Word Document, 559 KB) by 5pm on Friday 31 July 2026 and submitted to FEEEprovision@walthamforest.gov.uk. All expressions of interests will be reviewed by the Local Authority in line with the sufficiency needs. Local Authority will submit all confirmed applications to the DfE by Wednesday 30 September 2026. 

For any queries, contact FEEEprovision@walthamforest.gov.uk

Breakfast clubs early adopters scheme

The Department of Education is inviting schools to apply to the breakfast clubs early adopter programme. Breakfast clubs give children a supportive start to the day, which supports children’s attendance and attainment, enabling them to thrive academically and socially. Schools with primary-school aged children can now apply to become an early adopter of the universal free breakfast clubs scheme. 

From April 2025, up to 750 participating state funded schools will be funded until March 2026 to provide access to a free, universal breakfast club lasting at least 30 minutes that includes free food and childcare. This will be part of a test and learn phase in advance of national rollout. The application form will close on Friday 20 December 2024. Applications will not be accepted after this point. The DfE will contact applicants in January 2025 to confirm whether the expression of interest has been successful, at which point will be invited to confirm acceptance.

Further information on the early adopters can be found at Breakfast clubs early adopters scheme - GOV.UK.

Business Planning Support

Childcare works Hub for Early Years and Wraparound Childcare Providers

Access resources to support you in expanding your early years and wraparound childcare:

• Provider business planning support
• Hub wraparound childcare
• Invoicing, Consumables, and Charging Structures
• Business Sustainability Health Tool
• Making Funding Work: The Use of Government Funding as a Sustainable Business Model
• Let’s Talk About…  Money Matters Webinar Slides

Toolkits for Childcare Providers

The Childcare Works toolkits bring together everything you need to grow, sustain and start childcare provision.  With content curated by experts, you will find a wealth of useful and relevant information, all in one place.

The toolkits contain information specific to operating childcare provision, plus general information for businesses, childminders and charities, including expert marketing, HR and leadership and management, partnership working and more.   

Content is organised into six ‘topics’ with each topic divided into sub-topics:

• Business Planning
• Business Growth
• Running of Your Childcare Provision
• Leadership and Management
• Partnership Working
• SEND and Inclusive Practice

Access the Wraparound Toolkit - Wraparound Childcare Toolkit | from Childcare Works

Access the Early Years Toolkit - Early Years Toolkit | from Childcare Works